By 1983, Bauhaus broke up and Murphy went on to new projects not involving Bauhaus members Kevin Haskins, David J, or Daniel Ash. After some brief dabbling with acting and dance - including a slightly odd televised performance to Bauhaus's "Hollow Hills" - he soon formed Dalis Car with Mick Karn, the bass player from Japan.
Murphy's solo career over time became more varied than Bauhaus, ranging from pseudo-pop to haunting ballads that showcased his deep and complex vocals. After the commercial non-start of Dali's Car, Murphy's first solo album was similarly overlooked. Should the World Fail to Fall Apart did spawn several singles, including a cover of Pere Ubu's "Final Solution" that made a minor splash on the club scene.
The followup, Love Hysteria, did much better. It also marked the beginning of a long-term collaboration with songwriter Paul Statham, who co-wrote songs with Murphy until 1995. The resulting singles "All Night Long" and "Indigo Eyes" helped garner a wider following, and the black-and-white video for "All Night Long" entered rotation on MTV.
The pinnacle of Murphy's solo popularity came with the release of Deep. For this album Murphy reinvented himself as somewhat of a rock-god, now sporting hair dyed platinum blonde and performing a much more aggressive alt-rock sound. The single "Cuts You Up" from Deep held on to the top spot on the Billboard Modern Rock Tracks chart for longer than any other single before - displacing "So Alive" by his former Bauhaus-bandmates Love and Rockets.
In 2000, Murphy performed his international Just for Love tour, which resulted in the album aLive Just for Love. It is a live recording of the fully uninterrupted set from the El Rey show in Los Angeles on November 30, 2000. During the tour, Murphy chose to perform with only two back-up musicians, Canadian electric violinist Hugh Marsh and Peter DiStefano from Porno for Pyros on guitar, although former Bauhaus bassist David J sometimes joined the trio for an encore. At this point he also contributed to works by noted film composer Harry Gregson-Williams.
Also in 2000, Murphy gave a nod to the North American goth scene, where his solo works and his works with Bauhaus are still very popular, by making a surprise guest appearance at the sixth annual Convergence festival in Seattle, to perform a low-key, acoustic solo set.
In 2004, Murphy signed to yet another new label, Viastar, which was home to several other 1980s pop artists who had moved into more eclectic areas. Despite numerous problems with the label, the album Unshattered was released, showcasing Murphy returning to a more pop sound.
Murphy undertook extensive tours of the U.S.A and Europe to promote 'Unshattered' in 2005, with a live band featuring guitarist Mark Gemini Thwaite of The Mission UK and Tricky on guitar, Jeff Schwartoff of Human Waste Project and Professional Murder Music on bass and Justin Bennett of Skinny Puppy on drums. Murphy and the band reconvened in November 2007 for shows in Portugal and Spain, with Nick Lucero replacing Bennett on drums. In May 2008 Murphy recorded a cover of the song "Warm Leatherette" with Trent Reznor and Jeordie White from Nine Inch Nails. This was played live at an intimate studio performance, and the video recording was released on both the official Nine Inch Nails website and YouTube. A full-length album called Ninth was released in 2011, featuring the single "I Spit Roses".
Keep Me From Harm
Peter Murphy Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Love is all I need
Hope is what I'm asking for
Lay me down to sleep
It was then that I lost you
Was dragged there too
Under the sea of mystery
Died there along with you
Love me hold me keep me from harm
Love me hold me keep me from harm
Guess you found your own root
Dug into that vast heart
Flew without wing or pinion
Now you orbit the stars
Now haunted and weary
Your vision creeps
I need a clear water
I need a release
Love me hold me keep me from harm
Love me hold me keep me from harm
Lay me down to sleep
The lyrics of Peter Murphy's song Keep Me From Harm reveal a deep emotional connection with love, hope, and health. The singer of the song seeks to find solace and comfort in love and hope, while they struggle with health issues. The opening lines of the song Health is all I'm asking for/Love is all I need/Hope is what I'm asking for/Lay me down to sleep, express a sense of overwhelming vulnerability and a desire to find respite in the arms of love. The singer wants to be protected from the turmoil of life and wants someone to hold them and keep them safe and secure.
The second stanza takes a heart-wrenching turn as the singer recalls a lost love. It was then that I lost you/Was dragged there too/Under the sea of mystery/Died there along with you. The metaphorical language of this section paints a vivid picture of the depth of despair and loss that the singer experienced. They feel like they were dragged under and drowned in a sea of mystery alongside their lover. The final verse addresses the haunting aftermath of the loss. The singer tries to find peace with the loss and indirectly requests help from their lover's spirit to heal. The closing lines of the song Lay me down to sleep express a longing for rest and the need to find peace.
Line by Line Meaning
Health is all I'm asking for
I desire a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being
Love is all I need
I crave affection, compassion and tenderness from those around me
Hope is what I'm asking for
I need an optimistic attitude and a positive expectation towards the future
Lay me down to sleep
Put me to rest, in a tranquil and peaceful state
It was then that I lost you
I suffered the loss of a person that was dear to me
Was dragged there too
I was also taken to a difficult, perhaps painful situation
Under the sea of mystery
Into the unknown, enigmatic and puzzling depths
Died there along with you
I experienced a symbolic, spiritual or emotional death, together with the other person
Love me hold me keep me from harm
Please offer me your unconditional love, protect me and keep me safe
Guess you found your own root
You discovered your own identity, source or foundation
Dug into that vast heart
You explored the extensive, profound and complex nature of your being
Flew without wing or pinion
You moved or traveled without physical aids, relying on your inner strength
Now you orbit the stars
You reached a high state of awareness, enlightenment or spirituality
Now haunted and weary
You are troubled, disturbed and exhausted
Your vision creeps
Your perception is slow, uncertain and sneaky
I need a clear water
I long for something pure, fresh and transparent
I need a release
I require a means of escape or liberation from constraints or stress
Love me hold me keep me from harm
Please offer me your unconditional love, protect me and keep me safe
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: PAUL STATHAM, PETER HIMMELMAN, PETER JOHN MURPHY
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind